The Center for Excellence in Public Safety Leadership

The Center for Excellence in Public Safety Leadership strives to represent and replicate the University’s Franciscan values through the development and delivery of innovative leadership programs designed for the benefit of public safety professionals who seek to serve their organizations with honor, and their communities with respect, caring and compassion.

The Center for Excellence in Public Safety Leadership will pursue research and developmental programs based on the following academic principles:
• All program initiatives will be grounded on proven scientific theories of leadership and behavioral science.
• Research shall be evidence-based with a primary focus on leadership influence resulting in positive organizational outcomes.
• Emphasis will be on creating innovation in public safety leadership to help develop excellent leaders and excellently led organizations.

The mission of The Center for Excellence in Public Safety Leadership will be pursued though the following initiatives:

• Research, evaluate, and help form best practices and innovative leadership strategies for public safety organizations.

• Provide leadership training opportunities and professional development programs in the form of seminars, conferences, and certificate programs.

• Serve as a point of resource for scholars, students, public safety professionals, and government policymakers.

• Assist leaders with moving beyond the academic study of leadership theories to the practical application of organizational leadership concepts.

VISION 2029

Advancing Law Enforcement Leadership in the Next Decade and Beyond

The Profession of American Law Enforcement is about to enter a new era. The past ten years have challenged the law enforcement profession like no other period in the history of our country. In the past decade we have seen nothing less than a societal examination of the role and purpose of our most visible public service agents and, in many cases, a rejection of the traditional role and approach that law enforcement has taken within our communities.

The Center for Excellence in Public Safety Leadership was created to lead the effort in achieving the vision of a new era of professional law enforcement that will not only assist agencies in meeting today’s challenges, but also create a sustainable leadership model that will advance the profession as a whole and ultimately build stronger organizations and stronger npolice-community relations.

In pursuit of this mission, The Center for Excellence in Public Safety Leadership has developed Vision 2029. The purpose of Vision 2029 is to set new standards for policing leadership that can be achieved within the next decade, and to develop new and innovative approaches to collectively address current and future issues within the profession.

The foundation of Vision 2029 is built upon six leadership goals for transforming policing and police organizations.

Six Transformational Leadership Goals for Vision 2029

Building Next Generation Strategies for Recruitment and Retention

Supporting Ethical Leadership Development and Succession Planning

Creating Values-based Organizational Cultures of Excellence

Re-defining Policing Effectiveness and Establishing New Standards of Accountability

Barry is an Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice with Cardinal Stritch University. Barry served as the Career Development Coordinator for the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Law Enforcement Services. While there he developed the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Career Development Program, providing management and leadership training programs to law enforcement officers statewide. Barry has over 35 years of experience in the police profession. He is a certified leadership instructor who regularly consults with Wisconsin DOJ and other agencies, and is also a nationally recognized author and conference presenter on law enforcement and leadership topics.

Cam McLay is a nationally recognized author, instructor, and conference presenter, and is an expert on law enforcement leadership, change management, and organizational performance analytics. Cam retired as Chief of the Pittsburgh (PA) Bureau of Police in 2016, and served with the Madison (WI) Police Department for 30 years. He has a Master of Science degree in Organizational Leadership and has served as a consultant to public safety organizations throughout North America.

Dave has served as a leadership trainer, executive coach and consultant to numerous federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. He worked with the International Association of Chiefs of Police as a curriculum consultant, master instructor, and mentor to faculty. From 2011 to 2013 he served as Executive Director to the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center and the Rural Law Enforcement Technology Center. He holds a Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership and a Master of Science Degree in Organizational Leadership.

Rod Covey is the Chief of Police of the Port of Seattle (WA) Police Department. Chief Covey has 35 years of management and leadership experience and is a Master Instructor in the Leadership in Police Organizations Program. He previously served as the Executive Director of the Arizona Department of Public Safety Center of Leadership Excellence, and Chief of the Office of Training and Education. He holds a Master of Education Degree in Educational Leadership.

Dave Mahoney serves as the Sheriff of the Dane County (WI) Sheriff’s Department, the second largest sheriff’s department in the State of Wisconsin. He is the former president, and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the National Sheriffs Association, and is also on the boards of the Major County Sheriffs Association and the Badger State Sheriffs Association. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice and is nationally recognized for his work in leadership and organizational development.

Mike Steffes is the Assistant Administrator of the Division of Law Enforcement Services for the Wisconsin Department of Justice. Mike oversees operations in the Crime Information Bureau, Wisconsin Crime Lab, The Training and Standards Bureau, and the Bureau of Justice Information and Analysis. Mike previously served as the Chief of Police of the City of Rhinelander (WI). Mike holds a Master of Science Degree in Organizational Leadership and Quality and is a national instructor in several disciplines, including the Leadership in Police Organizations program.

Alfonso Morales is the interim Chief of Police of the Milwaukee Police Department where he has served since 1993. Chief Morales holds a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Carroll University in Waukesha, has taken masters level classes at the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia, and is a graduate of the Senior Management Institute for Police (SMIP).

Dave Funkhouser is the Chief of Police of Kiel, WI and is the former president of the Wisconsin Chiefs of Police Association. Chief Funkhouser has received numerous awards for exemplary service to the law enforcement community, including the Wisconsin Attorney General’s Leadership Award. Dave is an experienced presenter on leadership related topics for law enforcement agencies including the WI Command College, the FBI (Milwaukee Office), the WI Department of Justice. Dave has a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice Administration, and he is a graduate of the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development (LEEDS) program and the Police Law Enforcement Executive Leadership program (POLEX).